Our holidays were absolutely crazy and chaotic and … wonderful. There were many squeals of delight, and lots of wrapping paper and boxes to go in the recycle bin.

As I was picking up the last of the decorations, I noticed a small package – still wrapped – sitting under the tree. It was a book I’d bought for the hubs that had been overlooked in all the gift exchange craziment.

As I was noodling my newsletter topic for this month, I was thinking about the potential that is in each one of us and how much of our potential is never accessed. Your untapped potential is like a big pile of unopened gifts. They’re just sitting there, waiting for you to tear into them.

Why don’t we tackle those gifts?

Now, look, I know that identifying and unwrapping your potential can be daunting, to say the least. And already – only a few days into the new year – we’ve got so much pressure to have our act together. So I definitely don’t want to heap any more stress on you.

But so many of us never even untie the ribbon on our gifts, let alone take them out of the box and use them.

Why is that? We fill our days with frenetic activity, running from task to task, or worse, trying to divide our attention to do multiple things at once.

Or maybe we tell ourselves that we’ll really go for it when things slow down or when we retire. But y’all, if the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we’re not promised tomorrow.

Who are you to play small?

Maybe you’ve been playing small for fear of

• Failing
• Other people’s judgments and opinions
• Looking or feeling foolish

But the thing is, playing small serves no one. What if the point of your gifts was to use them to serve others? If you won’t even attempt to unwrap them and take them out of the box, you’re selfishly withholding that help from others who need it.

The world is thirsty for what you have to offer. Seriously, think about it. There may be someone out there who needs to hear what you have to say – in just the way that only you can say it.

Whether you’re leading a team, tackling a project, or showing up for your family and friends, the world is a better place when you bring your unique skills, experiences, and perspectives  

This could get a leetle uncomfortable.

That being said, your potential won’t reveal itself as you sit comfortably sipping margaritas in your comfort zone. To really explore all that you have to offer, you’ll need to step outside of what’s comfortable and familiar.

My granddaughter, Josie, has a few bruises on her elbows and knees. Despite appearances she’s not a victim of child abuse. She got a new two-wheel bike for Christmas and has been learning to ride it sans training wheels. (Don’t worry she’s wearing a helmet and all the protective gear.) Now, I suppose she could have just decided she didn’t want to take off the training wheels for fear of being uncomfortable. And we all know that would be ridiculous.

But it’s also ridiculous to hide, play small, and not utilize your gifts because you’re afraid. Growth will not happen in your comfort zone. Sorry, not sorry.

It goes with the territory.

Regardless of where you are in your leadership journey- whether you’re just starting out or whether you’re comfortably ensconced in the C-suite – you’ve got a responsibility to continue to learn and grow. Yep, I believe it’s your duty to continue to develop yourself.

Unwrapping Your Leadership Gifts:

As you take steps to grow and develop, you’ll probably fall and get some bruises. But that discomfort just means that you’re on the right path. Your herky jerky, awkward steps are moving you incrementally toward your potential.

Now is the perfect time.

Here we are, standing on the brink of a brand-new year. It’s the perfect time to reflect on how you want to grow in the coming months.

As you consider the year ahead, answer the following questions:

• In what areas would I like to grow in the coming year?
• Where and how will I stretch myself?
• Where have I been playing small and how will I step out in courage?
• What skills do I want to hone?
• What will I do to make this year different from last year?
• Who can help me on my journey to grow and develop?

You know, nothing changes if nothing changes.

So here’s to the new year—a year of intentional growth, diving into discomfort, and unwrapping those unopened gifts of potential.

My wish for you is that you’ll be brave enough to remove those training wheels so that you can enjoy the exhilaration of riding on your own.

If you’d like a guide on the side to help re-energize you or your team, let’s talk! Go to JenniferLedet.com and schedule your complimentary discovery call with me today.